In terms of pure consumption, South Africa is 29^th on the list compiled by the World Health Organisation.

But it’s the weighted figure, omitting the number of abstainers in the population, that rockets the country up the ranks.

Belarus, Moldova and Russia are the world’s biggest alcohol consumers with between 15 and 18 litres of alcohol per adult per year.

But Chad, where nine out of ten adults abstain, the ten percent of drinkers win the tippler’s blue ribbon, consuming 34 litres a year each.

At the other end of the tot measure, France’s alcohol consumption puts it in 20^th place of the 190 countries polled.

But since only five percent of the population is abstemious, the averages drive it down to 113^th place

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